


The Third Night

by RationalCashew



Series: Christmas Eve and Other Stories [3]
Category: The X-Files
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, MSR
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 09:15:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21966994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RationalCashew/pseuds/RationalCashew
Summary: Mulder and Scully continue their movie week. Scully has a revelation.
Relationships: Fox Mulder/Dana Scully
Series: Christmas Eve and Other Stories [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1566076
Comments: 8
Kudos: 44





	The Third Night

Mulder watched himself carefully in the mirror as he guided the razor through shaving cream and across his face. He had forty-five minutes before he had to be at Scully’s for night three of their movie week; the third night of Scully opening up to him.

The last couple of days had amazed him. Dana Scully was not an open book by any stretch of the imagination. While he’d had fun teasing her and making comments just to get a reaction, Mulder found that his favorite part was learning the little secrets. Each tiny tidbit of information—something dumb Charlie said, the time Bill, Jr. tripped and took out the Christmas tree—he filed it all away in the special box in his mind reserved only for her.

He was putting on his shoes when a knock at the door interrupted his reverie. Cautiously, he made his way to answer it. So help him God, if some sketchy informant was interrupting his evening tonight—.

“I told you he was home,” Frohike said the second Mulder had the door open. Mulder stood, dumbfounded.

“We tried calling,” Byers said. “You didn’t answer your home or cell phone.”

“I was in the shower,” Mulder replied. “What are you guys doing here?”

The Stooges blinked in response.

“We always come over today,” Langly replied. “Why do you look like you’re going on a date?”

When Mulder didn’t answer, the Gunmen’s eyes widened.

“ _Are you_ going on a date?” Frohike pressed.

“I’m hanging out with Scully.”

“So, you _are_ going on a date,” Byers confirmed.

“What makes you think this is a date?” Mulder demanded, crossing his arms with a frown.

“Okay, FBI man,” Frohike retorted, “Let’s look at the evidence, shall we?” He held up a finger. “You’re ditching us—which, is only okay because it’s Scully.” He held up another finger. “You’ve been on, what, three dates since you met her?” A third finger was raised. Frohike sniffed him and Mulder shoved him back. “You’re wearing cologne.”

“Jury says that’s a date, Mulder,” Langly stated. Byers nodded his agreement.

“She invited me over to watch a Christmas movie.” He left out the part about it being a week-long event.

“That sounds like a euphemism,” Langly deadpanned.

Mulder stepped out of the apartment and shut the door behind him, locking it with his key.

“Boys, as much as I love you—.”

“You love Scully more,” Frohike said. He sighed. “Gentlemen, we’ve lost a comrade.”

“Notice he didn’t deny it,” Langly added. Mulder rolled his eyes. “So, what ‘movie’ are you watching?”

“I- _Frosty the Snowman_.” He didn’t want to tell them he had absolutely no idea what kids’ movie were watching, that Scully was keeping it a surprise, only to fuel their perverse imaginations. They exchanged a collective look of disbelief. “What?”

“If you didn’t want to tell us, all you had to do was say so,” Byers replied.

“What makes you think I’m lying?” He challenged.

“I hardly think the dignified Ms. Dana Scully would watch a kids’ movie like that.”

Mulder fought back a grin. If they only knew…

* * *

Scully was just finishing up getting ready when the phone rang. Her mother was on the other end, calling to discuss the logistics of Christmas morning. She already knew. Six o’clock roll call. That’s why she usually stayed the night.

It was when her mom asked about Mulder’s presence at the family dinner that Scully nearly choked on her water.

“Honestly, Dana,” Maggie said, exasperation clear in her voice. “The man is your… _friend_. Do you honestly think I wasn’t going to invite him?”

Scully frowned at the tone behind the word “friend,” but chose not to get into it. Explaining her relationship—or whatever it was—with Mulder was more complicated than she wanted to get into with her mother. Or, really, herself for that matter.

“I will ask him, Mom,” Scully replied.

“Do you…do you not want him to come?” Maggie asked, hesitation present in your voice.

“No,” Scully said, a little too quickly. “It’s not that at all. I just don’t know what his plans are.”

It was lie. She knew that, especially since his parents’ passing, Mulder didn’t really celebrate the holidays. He’d mentioned something before about poker and pizza with the Gunmen, but she hadn’t been paying much attention. She’d been too busy finishing the expense report he’d been supposed to finish a couple of days before that.

“Well, make sure to find out and let me know.”

“He should be here in a little bit, so I’ll ask him and let you know tomorrow.” She hadn’t meant to say it. Really. Her cheeks grew warm and she could practically see the grin on her mother’s face.

“Dana…” she began, slowly, “do you and Fox have a _date_?”

“Mooooom,” Scully groaned.

“Well, honestly, Dana,” Maggie retorted, “It’s a valid question. I never know with the two of you.” Scully rolled her eyes, but said nothing. “Don’t tell me that you’re working,” her mother continued.

“No, Mom. We’re just watching a movie.”

“So, it _is_ a date!”

“Mom, I have to go.”

“Is Fox there? Tell him ‘hello’ for me.”

“Bye, Mom,” Scully said, hanging up the phone.

For an adult woman who had been living on her own for years now, Maggie Scully still found ways to make Scully’s heart pound in her chest with anxiety.

It wasn’t a _date_.

Was it?

She thought back to waking up around three in morning to Mulder wrapped around her on the couch, to how nice it had been. Scully had enjoyed the last couple of nights. Part of her was surprised he’d never seen these movies; for as much of a child as he could be sometimes.

She’d known his experiences with holidays had been different once Samantha was abducted. Still, she’d always pictured him watching the classics in front of the TV as a young boy. In fact, that he’d felt the need to be an adult at such a young age broke her heart. His innocence was abducted right along with his sister. Scully hated that for him.

She’d barely gotten back into the living room when a tap sounded on the door before it opened. Mulder stepped in carrying what looked like Chinese take-out, a big smile across his face. He looked good, too.

“Hey,” Mulder greeted. “Sorry, I’m a little late. The boys stopped by when I was headed out. I had to kick them to the curb. Gently.”

“You could’ve hung out with them tonight, if you wanted to.”

The look he shot her went straight through her.

“I’d rather be here.”

His tone was light and pleasant but his eyes said something entirely different. What, she wasn’t sure; but, she could see the sincerity.

Scully nodded. “Good. I'm glad.” Mulder smiled widely at that. “What’s in the bag?” She asked, pointing to it.

“Chinese,” he beamed. She reached to take it from him and take it to the kitchen when she caught a whiff of his cologne. God, he smelled good.

Mulder relinquished the bag and took off his coat and hung it on the coatrack.

“So, what are we watching tonight? Another double feature?” There was a hopeful tone to his voice that made her grin.

" _Frosty the Snowman_ ,” she replied. “Followed by _Jack Frost_.”

“ _Jack Frost_ is a Christmas movie?”

Scully shrugged. “Not really, but it always played with the others.”

Mulder studied her with a smirk. “Are we watching these in order?”

Scully chuckled and shook her head. “Mulder, I was a kid. I don’t even remember the order.”

* * *

When he finally got the fire lit, Mulder rose from his spot to find that Scully had already spread the food out on the coffee table and had been watching him. He wasn’t completely sure why she watched him do it, but Mulder found that he liked that she did. He could get used to seeing that look on her face every evening.

The movie played and he couldn’t help but chuckle at his accuracy with the Gunmen. This was one movie he _had_ seen before. He hadn’t watched it in years, but he’d seen it.

“You know he would’ve been charged with murder,” Mulder said as Santa arrived to find Frosty turned to a puddle.

“Mulder, if you don’t stop talking, I’m gonna—.”

“You’d shoot me over _Frosty the_ —?”

“Kick you out,” she continued, talking over his interruption.

They stared at each other for the briefest of seconds before cracking up. Mulder wanted to see this side of her more often. He thought light, laughing Scully might just be his new favorite. He _loved_ being the one who brought out this part of her, too.

“Shutting up,” he chuckled, causing her to giggle through the noodles in her mouth.

He watched as she took one last bite of her food and set her plate on the table. He did the same to keep from voicing his hope that this might become _their_ new holiday tradition.

The movie continued and Mulder didn’t say another word until almost the very end, when he couldn’t help himself.

“Can you imagine if Skinner made us do something like that?” He asked. Scully looked at him with an eyebrow perfectly arched. “Made us write ‘I will not chase aliens’ a hundred zillion times?”

Scully snorted. “He’d make you write that. I’d have to write something like, ‘I will not let Mulder chase aliens’ a hundred zillion times.”

Mulder chuffed a laugh. Yeah, okay. He had that coming.

When the movie ended, a strange sense of anxiety came over him. He knew they still had another movie to get through, but he really didn’t want the night to end. Yet, he didn’t want to press his luck. Scully hadn’t even snuggled into him tonight.

“I know we still have _Jack Frost_ to get through but, do you want to stay and watch _Christmas in Connecticut_?” She asked as they waited for the tape to rewind. There was a hesitancy to her voice that Mulder found somewhat disconcerting. Did she not want him to stay? He must’ve hesitated too long because she added, “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s perfectly fine. I just didn’t know if that was really your type of movie or not.”

Mulder fought back the urge to say that he would watch the cheesiest romantic comedy if it meant watching with her. Instead, he replied, “Sure. It’s another one I’ve never seen.”

It must’ve the right answer because he received a rare megawatt smile in return.

“Of course,” he teased. “I might need some hot chocolate to get through it.”

She nodded her ‘mildly amused’ nod and led the way to the kitchen. Mulder wasn’t sure why but he loved the vision of himself making a fire and Scully preparing hot chocolate for them that didn’t come from powder in a pouch. He really hoped this might become their thing; he’d thought about it several times over the last couple of days.

“You know what I just realized?”

“What?” She asked without looking at him.

“You didn’t have music on when I got here.”

Scully chuckled. “I didn’t have a chance to pick anything. My mom called.”

“And, how is the fabulous Mrs. Scully?”

“She’s fine. Actually, um, she told me to invite you to Christmas dinner…if you don’t have any plans, of course.”

Mulder’s heart leapt and then sank. Mrs. Scully _told_ her to invite him. Scully didn’t ask if she could.

“I couldn’t impose,” he replied tentatively.

Scully grinned a small grin but her gaze didn’t leave her task. “It’s not an imposition if you’re invited.” She looked up at him. “It’s entirely up to you, but she’d really like to have you there. We both would.”

So, she _did_ want him there? He smiled and nodded. “Tell her I’ll be there.”

Scully smiled widely at his acceptance. “Good. I will.”

They stood in the kitchen as Scully made their drink and debated the movies they’d watch the last few days: Did bumbles really bounce? It wasn’t really ethical for Yukon Cornelius to remove the bumble’s teeth like that. The little magician in Frosty should be brought up on attempted murder charges instead of solely made to write what Santa told him to write; did that qualify as restorative justice? How in the world did no one in South Town not pick up on the fact that Vixen was a reindeer and not a dog?

At one point, she’d laughed and told him that he was lucky she wasn’t going to make him watch _The Little Drummer Boy_. To which he’d blurted that he’d watch all of the classics with her because he was enjoying this week.

Scully had beamed at that.

Finally, they made their way back to the living room with their beverages in hand and nestled in on the couch.

Scully was definitely right. _Jack Frost_ was a winter movie, not a Christmas movie but he found that he was really enjoying it. Maybe, it was because he saw something of himself in the clay animated protagonist.

At some point, he thought aloud that Jack Frost was a character to which he could relate. Scully looked up at him with an adorably confused expression on her face, silently imploring him to explain. He realized he wasn’t sure he wanted to elaborate. Not because he necessarily had anything to hide, but he was afraid that his reason for identifying with the character who became human because he loved a girl would be too much right now.

Mulder loved Scully. He loved her and she wasn’t ready to hear it.

“What do you mean?” She asked softly when he took too long to respond.

* * *

Scully watched as he hesitated in answering her.

“Well,” he began, “he’s a guy who turned human just for a chance to be with the girl he loves and she barely knows he’s alive.”

It was the tone of his voice that gave away the fact that he was talking about something entirely different.

“I wouldn’t say that,” she countered, equally as sheepish. “She knows he’s alive.”

“I’m just saying, a guy will do crazy things when he’s in love. Even give up immortal powers to be human. All because she’s worth it.”

Scully’s heart pounded in her chest as he stared into her eyes. He was talking about her; about them. That much was clear. She was torn between two outcomes: kiss him for all he was worth to show she reciprocated the feeling or end the night and hide. The latter was certainly the easiest option. But, the former? That’s what she wanted to do.

She didn’t have to make any decisions, though. He leaned in and kissed her gently on the lips before she knew what was happening. The kiss lingered for a moment before he pulled away with a grin.

There was no denying it anymore, no questioning it. He loved her, too.


End file.
